Martin
Ruthie looked shocked as she stood in the doorway. She looked beautiful, although I always thought she was beautiful.
Her curly brunette hair was straightened and cut to her chin, emphasizing her big beautiful brown eyes and heart shaped lips. She was still short but she had heels on which made her seem taller. I noticed she seemed dressed up. Perhaps she was going out?
"Is now a bad time?" I finally asked her as she looked me in the eyes and then said "No...um..come on in" I walked in after her and looked around. Her apartment was huge, there were lots of windows and everything seemed cozy. I could see various pictures on the wall as well as boxes lying around.
"Sandy said something about you moving?" I asked as she looked at me still a bit dazed and then replied "Yes...we are moving in a couple of weeks back home. I am opening a clothing store in Glen Oak"
"Congratulations" I said smiling as Ruthie returned my smile before narrowing her eyes and saying "What the heck are you doing here? You have avoided me for the past seven years and now you are sending me random Cd's and showing up unannounced.. I can't have this I..."
"I love you" I blurted out as she looked at me in horror and then shook her head, her shiny hair moving with each shake as she said "You love the idea of me...I have grown up and I have moved on and we don't know each other...Martin we were obviously never meant to be together"
"because you were afraid and stubborn and I let you go without a fight" I said as she shook her head again and then the door opened and a soft sweet voice said "Mummy? We're back"
I looked to see a little girl about six years old with curly brunette hair run up to Ruthie as she smiled and lifted her up. She had hazel brown eyes and rosy cheeks as well.
"Sweetie this is an old friend...His name is Martin Brewer"
"Hi Mr. Brewer, my name is Zakyra" the little girl said smiling as I smiled back. She was adorable...but she had called Ruthie mommy...which meant that the father was...
"Well hello again Martin" a smug voice said as I looked over to see T-bone walk in with a bag of groceries.
"Sweetie why don't you get ready for bed and then I'll come in to say prayers with you" Ruthie suggested as she placed her back down and kissed her cheek.
"So you're a Mom?" I asked her as I took a deep breath and sat down on her leather couch.
Ruthie looked at me a bit perplexed and then said "Would you like something to drink...coffee maybe? Do you have somewhere to stay? We have plenty of room"
"No" I said as I stood up and looked at her and then T-bone "I obviously am too late and I'm sorry. I'm going to see myself out"
"That's it?" Ruthie asked me her brown eyes flashing dangerously as I nervously stepped back.
I was quite aware of how temperamental Ruthie could become and I definitely did not want to start a fight tonight. Not when my whole world had just been turned upside down.
"Mommy" Zakyra called out as Ruthie looked at me and said "Sit down...I'll be back in twenty minutes and we can discuss this then" She then walked out as I looked over at T-bone who sat down as well.
We stared at one another for a while before I said "I'm sorry...I didn't know that you two had a child together"
T-bone replied " Why exactly are you here? I thought I told you last year we were getting married. Why don't you move on?"
"Because I love her"
"Well she is not in love with you. Do you know what she said when I gave her that letter? Nothing. She wanted nothing to do with you then and she wants nothing to do with you now"
"Well" I began as Ruthie walked in and said "What letter are you talking about?"
I looked over at T-bone and saw him turn pale as she glanced at me "did you write me a letter Martin? I never received it"
"I gave it to T-bone" I began as he interrupted "Theodore"
"last year" I finished as Ruthie looked over at T-bone and said "do you have the letter?"
"No I read it and then burnt it" he calmly replied as Ruthie looked over at him and quietly said "What did it say?"
"something pathetic...about loving you and always loving you...blah,blah,blah...I mean really Martin it was not that eloquent. It just reminded me that you are nothing but a jock...and a dumb one at that"
I stood up and began walking over toward him as Ruthie stood in the middle "You will not fight in my house. Theodore I think you should leave. It's getting late."
"I'm not going anywhere until Martin leaves"
"well he is not leaving but you are. I'll discuss this tomorrow morning when I am calm"
"Fine" T bone said as he glared at me before walking out. I stood as well and said "maybe I should go back to the hotel. It's late and..."
"Oh no you don't Brewer. You don't get to send me love songs and write love letters and not talk to me."
"Fine...where do you want to start?" I wearily asked as she lit up and replied "Well let me change into something else and you can make some tea. The kitchen is right through that door" I nodded as she walked down the opposite hallway.
Twenty minutes later Ruthie walked back in wearing sweats and a t-shirt. She smiled at me and said "so where to start?"
"Is T-bone her father?" I asked her as she rolled her eyes and I smiled. It was nice to see that some things hadn't changed.
"No...Zakyra isn't my biological daughter. I adopted her"
"you adopted her?" I asked confused and yet elated that she and T-bone hadn't procreated.
"My room mate in Scotland was older than me, but she was wonderful. Her name was Systera. Almost like a big sister without being nosy. Anyway when she became pregnant she asked me to be Zakyra's godmother and I said 'yes'. I didn't realize that Tera was dying. She left a will and the will named me as guardian."
"but Zakyra calls you mommy"
"No she calls me mummy, she knows about her real mother and we decided it would be easier for that"
"and her father?"
"wants nothing to do with her. He was married and had children and Tera didn't fit into his plans"
"Oh...well that's a shame"
"It is...but everyone has been supportive of me and that's part of the reason we are moving back to Glen Oak. I need a bigger support system than I have here. Zakyra is being raised by nannies when she could be spending time with her extended family"
"So did you adopt her?" I asked as Ruthie nodded unshed tears shining in her eyes "just in case that loser of a father gains a conscience and wants her back."
Ruthie
I glanced over to see how Martin was taking everything that I had told him. He had that look on his face..the one he usually got when he would say something stupid.
"So you and T-bone aren't intimate?" "Bingo" I thought smiling inwardly "I still know how you think Brewer"
"Is that really any of your business? I want to know why you never called me? After you wrote me that letter you just left. Didn't you think I would have contacted you if I read it?"
"How was I suppose to know how you would react? You chose T-bone over me Ruthie, I thought you two were married or were about to be married"
"and yet you came all the way here tonight"
"because I figured I would give it one more shot. We are both older...much older than before and I can't move on simply because I don't want to move on. I have always imagined we would end up together."
"Really?" I asked as I looked over at him. I still couldn't believe he was here, in New York, for me. Although Sandy often told me how worried my entire family was about him, she hadn't mentioned that fact that he had become even hotter than the last time I saw him. In fact she hadn't been forthcoming on a lot of things.
"So how is Aaron?" I finally asked as his hazel eyes lit up and he took several pictures from his wallet to show me. "He is doing great" he said as I looked at each photo. Aaron was the spitting image of his father.
"What are you thinking about?" he finally asked me as I looked over at him and blushed slightly before answering "nothing" I replied as I took a sip of my tea.
"So what now Brewer?" I finally asked as Martin glanced over at me and shrugged before saying "Want to give it a chance? Perhaps start dating each other?"
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't want Zakyra to get attached to you and we break up"
"I'm in love with you Ruthie...I want to make you my wife... the only way we would break up is if you leave me"
"You don't know me Martin, you know the old Ruthie"
"I'm looking at the old Ruthie. You may have cut your hair and grown up...but you still have the same morals and beliefs...that's all I need to know. The rest will come later"
"You are scarily optimistic"
"I've waited for you for a long time...if you give me this chance I will make sure you never regret it"
"Can we take it slow...a few dates...nothing too serious?"
"By serious you mean being exclusive?" he asked me as I nodded. I watched as he closed his eyes briefly before looking over at me and then said "Sure why not" I watched in alarm as he stood up and sat down next to me.
"what are you doing?" I asked him in a soft voice as his hazel eyes became a tad bit darker "I'm going to kiss you now" and with that leaned over and kissed me on the lips. For the first time in seven years, I felt complete.